Aide: Senators Want Materials Saved For Probe Into Russian Election Interference

[deminks]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/report-senators-want-materials-saved-for-russian-election-probe?utm_content=buffer7a3db&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate Intelligence Committee has sent formal requests to more than a dozen organizations, agencies and individuals, asking them to preserve all materials related to the committee's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and related issues, according to a congressional aide.

The committee chairman, Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., and its vice chairman, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., sent letters Friday, the same day committee members received a classified briefing from FBI Director James Comey. Committee members declined to comment on what was discussed after the more than hourlong briefing.

(snip)

On Thursday, Senate Democrats wrote the White House and law enforcement agencies seeking assurances that they were preserving all materials related to contacts individuals associated with President Donald Trump had with Russians.

Those letters asked for confirmation that the White House, FBI and Justice Department had instructed their employees to preserve all materials related to any contacts Trump's administration, campaign, transition team — or anyone acting on their behalf — have had with Russian government officials or its associates.

(snip)

Congressional staffers have said that they are not aware of any evidence that materials are not being preserved, but Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Thursday on the Senate floor: "There is real concern that some in the administration may try to cover up its ties to Russia by deleting emails, texts and other records that could shine a light on those connections. These records are likely to be the subject of executive branch as well as congressional investigations and must be preserved."

(end snip)

emails, anyone?

[SharonAnn]

1. Sounds like they expect to find something.

[C_U_L8R]

2. It's the private email and messaging accounts

that really need looking into.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

4. As for Trump - read he is not an emailer. Sadly.

[riversedge]

3. My guess is that the shreaders have been busy for a long time--or the permantly delete

buttons.

[MedusaX]

5. Double Whammy

Very Clever way to
A: formally establish proof that everyone was notified NOT to dispose of information -- eliminating the "I did not know/ by mistake/ innocent error" defense strategies from any future court proceedings related to a cover-up of collusion

B: indicate that an active review of communication records is Soon to come...
creating a sense of urgency that may cause some to hastily purge pertinent documents--
which undoubtedly will be flagged by & forwarded directly to whatever monitoring systems have been put in place...

[MineralMan]

6. The utter silence from Republicans who were in that

meeting with Comey is telling. Nobody is saying anything. I suspect that Comey dropped a bombshell in the meeting that was explosive enough to shut the mouths of even Republicans.

We shall see.